How brands can hit the right note with audio recall during IPL?

‘Karbonn Kamaal Catch’ or ‘YesBank Maximum Sixes’, phrases such as these come to one’s mind even when these brands no longer sponsor these particular properties in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This season of IPL marks its 17th edition. And while the sporting phenomenon has been around for more than a decade and a half, the sponsors from the earlier seasons still come to mind vis-a-vis their use of audio hammering (repetition of the brand’s name by the commentators) to create an association with a particular segment of the game. 

It is not rare for brands to use audio as a tool to ensure remembrance in the audience's minds. Nirma's iconic jingle ‘Washing Powder Nirma’ became one of the most recognisable audio elements in Indian advertising. The repetitive nature of the jingle helped establish Nirma as a popular and affordable detergent brand in the Indian market. Similarly, Vicco Turmeric’s ad featured a catchy jingle with the repetitive slogan ‘Vicco Turmeric, Nahi Cosmetic.’ The jingle emphasised the natural and ayurvedic qualities of the product, creating a strong association between Vicco Turmeric and the auditory cue. 

A report from Statista reveals that IPL’s television viewership increased gradually over the years from 2008 to 2016 from a unique viewership of 102 million to 361 million respectively. The previous season of the tournament i.e. 2023 garnered 449 million overall viewers. Even on the digital front, the league is enjoying enormous success as JioCinema, the streaming platform for IPL amassed over 59 crore video views and an astonishing 660 crore minutes of watch time. 

With such promising numbers at its disposal, the IPL has emerged as a lucrative platform for brands to advertise on. Some brands allot large sections of their annual budgets on IPL given its large viewership and deep penetration. 

Harnessing the league’s popularity, a lot of brands over the years have used audio hammering as a method to increase brand awareness and enhance overall recall. But given the high costs of such brand associations, a few questions linger: Does auditory hammering work? Why do brands opt for it? Are there any drawbacks to this method? 

Breaking the clutter

Among the numerous avenues the IPL presents for advertising, it’s easy to get lost in the clutter and end up with low to no recall. While multitudes of formats present a lucrative opportunity, it can sometimes be too much for a viewer if only the visual medium is used. And considering the variety of formats available, visual is the most used medium. This could lead to media fatigue and a certain indiscernibility that eventually defeats the purpose. The logos on the jerseys of teams, the logos on the ground, the branding on the boundary ropes and side-railing, etc. could sometimes become too much sensory information for viewers to comprehend, register, and most importantly, recall after another edition concludes. This is where audio advertising comes into play. 

What began as an experiment by a very few brands has turned significantly big in the last couple of years. More and more are now shelling big bucks on associating with a particular segment for the entire season. While initially only a few segments were used such as ‘catch of the match’ or ‘man of the match’ or ‘most boundaries in a match’, this avenue has evolved substantially. Now you have sponsors for power plays, strategic timeouts, catch of the tournament, most fours, most sixes, biggest sixes, game changer of the match, and the list goes on. 

“Brands are constantly seeking innovative ways to capture consumer attention and increase brand recall. Opting for audio recall during IPL matches, such as commentators repeating the brand's name, is an effective strategy for several reasons. Firstly, IPL provides a high-reach platform with extensive penetration across diverse cohorts and regions of the country. By associating their brand with prominent IPL properties like strategic timeouts or powerplay overs, brands ensure that their message reaches a wide audience base, enhancing brand visibility and recall,” says Dhruv Jha, Co-Head, Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) India.

A number of brands this year have invested in audio associations–CRED, RuPay, AngelOne, CEAT, Herbalife, and Tata EV, to name a few. Some of these brands have continued their associations from the previous year, possibly due to the relative effectiveness of the auditory sensory input. 

Naila Patel, Sr. VP and NCD, Mirum India says, “Voice has a great impact on human cognition, and using voice as a communications tool is good practice. With the marketplace of brand messaging getting busier by the day, a CEAT or a CRED have not just understood the power of audio recall but also the science of association.” 

She goes on to add, “Our brains are wired to seek patterns or make connections. And to have a connect with the religion of India (namely cricket) is an advertising rupee well spent. The marketing mix of each brand is different and one of the most important factors to choose the above-mentioned format is to not just create associations but also establish the bigness of the brand.”

The method of audio advertising builds brand awareness as viewers are constantly listening to the commentary, and repetition of the brand’s name daily along with the particular property’s name leads to instant recognition and registration. “Audio branding during the IPL is a powerful tool, no doubt. It helps create top-of-mind awareness, reinforce messaging, and capture a space in viewers' minds,” remarks Bharat Subramaniam, Founder & MD, BigTrunk. 

Genie in a new bottle

Back in the day, jingles were extensively used by Indian brands to create an impact. It involved employing catchy melodies and repetitive lyrics to embed brand names, taglines, and key product attributes in consumers' minds. Their cultural relevance, often incorporating regional languages and traditional musical elements, enhanced relatability across diverse audiences. Through widespread repetition across media channels and emotional resonance, jingles fostered strong brand associations, ensuring brands remained top-of-mind during purchasing decisions. 

Amul's catchy jingle ‘Amul Doodh Peeta Hai India' became synonymous with the widespread consumption of Amul milk across India, reinforcing the brand's position as a leading dairy provider. Similarly, Cadbury Dairy Milk’s memorable ‘Kuch Khaas Hai’ jingle accompanied heartwarming visuals, creating an emotional connection and emphasising the joy of celebrating special moments with Cadbury chocolates.

What these brands seemed to do was put to use a trivial yet effective phenomenon and weave it creatively into something that resonated with the audiences. With audio advertising during IPL, are brands trying to invoke the same tried and tested method in newer packaging? 

“Some of the most iconic jingles play in our minds even after years. A ‘lime & lemony Limca’ or ‘Kya aap closeup karte hain?’ or ‘Vajradanti Vajradanti Vicco Vajradanti’ are case studies of brand recall. But they were consistent for years and years. Attaching your name to specific properties during the IPL with commentators repeating it might not be comparable to jingles from yesteryears. But as forms of communications evolve, there is no harm in experimenting with formats,” elaborates Naila Patel.  

Dhruv Jha says that repetitive exposure can lead to heightened recall. “The repetitive exposure to the brand name during matches creates strong top-of-mind awareness among viewers. This heightened recall ensures that the brand remains prominent in consumers' minds, increasing the likelihood of them engaging with the brand in the future,” he explains.    

Repetition helps to imprint the advertising message into the listener's memory. Consistent use of audio elements helps in establishing a distinct brand identity. So when commentators say ‘CRED Powerplay’ instead of just ‘Powerplay’ for two months on a daily basis, it is bound to leave an imprint on the viewer’s mind. Ergo, people still remember brand associations from previous seasons of IPL. 

It's funny that I still remember DLF Maximum and Karbonn Kamaal Catch from initial IPLs, but I don't remember the sponsors from the previous IPL. #IPL2020

— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) September 23, 2020

All that’s good. Does it bring ROI?

As a brand when you think about it, audio hammering seems like a great method. But then one wonders: Does it actually lead to tangible ROI? 

Jha says it depends on your objective. “The effectiveness of brand recall in driving ROI depends on the brand's objectives and the nature of the campaign. For instance, if the goal is to raise awareness, increased brand recall during IPL matches can be considered a success. However, for campaigns with specific call-to-action objectives, such as paying bills during a 'powerplay' over, ROI can be directly measured. Pre and post-brand tracking studies can help assess the impact of brand recall on ROI, providing valuable insights for future campaigns,” he illustrates. 

It can be tricky to measure the return on investment of these audio placements, remarks Subramaniam. He adds, “A number of other KPIs, such as tracking website traffic, social media engagement, and even brand sentiment followed by Brand Lift Surveys need to be looked at to gauge how effectively your message is resonating. So, integrate it with a solid digital marketing campaign to amplify your reach and truly connect with your audience.”

Patel says that amidst funnels and measurable intangibles, a brand needs to decide the ROI it seeks. “A food app might consider a surge in demand during the match as an ROI, but a tyre brand cannot use the same yardstick,” she mentions. 

Could there be pitfalls? 

At the midpoint of IPL 2024, Disney Star, the designated broadcaster, announced a notable increase in viewership, as per data provided by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). Disney Star reported that the ongoing season has attracted 475 million viewers so far, with a cumulative watch time of 245 billion minutes, marking an 18% rise compared to the previous season.

Similarly, JioCinema, the official streaming partner, registered over 12 billion views and 148 billion minutes of watch time after 29 matches, showing a 42% increase from the corresponding period in the previous season. The average viewing time per viewer per match on Connected TV (CTV) exceeded 80 minutes. Moreover, the broadcaster's television (TV) coverage, encompassing both urban and rural audiences aged 2 years and older, for live matches, expanded by 5% compared to 2019.

With such promising numbers and so many people glued to their screens along with IPL’s ever-growing popularity, associating with a particular segment and using audio recall might seem like a great option–if you have the budget, that is. However, amidst the perks and the potential drawbacks, brands seem to be walking a tightrope. 

Over time, constantly hearing brand names mentioned can become tiresome for viewers, potentially leading to a negative association with the brand. Besides, excessive promotion may come across as forced or insincere, diminishing the authenticity of the commentary and potentially alienating the audience.

A popular usage of audio hammering can be seen in Mumbai Metro. Whenever a station approaches, a tune of the brand that has sponsored it starts playing in the background. While this strongly leads to association, it can turn out to be annoying if the traveller is not in a good mood.

Patel says that if not done well it could become plain noise or worse an irritating recurrence. 

Additionally, there’s a risk of over-saturation. If multiple brands engage in audio hammering simultaneously, the constant bombardment of brand names could lead to over-saturation, diluting the impact of each individual promotion.

To tackle these, Jha advises, “Brands can mitigate potential viewer fatigue by ensuring that the messaging is engaging and exciting. Take the example of Tata Motors' strategic placement of their cars during IPL matches. The commentator seamlessly integrates mentions of Tata cars into the match commentary, showcasing the latest car models with visually engaging descriptions. By balancing engagement with brand visibility, brands can maintain viewer interest and prevent potential drawbacks associated with repetitive branding.”

Patel mentions that although viewer fatigue is a possibility, it can be overcome if the brand uses creativity to incorporate humour or storytelling to capture attention, rendering it feel not intrusive. 

“It’s important to strike a balance between getting brand visibility and a positive viewing experience. A brand needs to respect the fact that the primary and only goal of the TG is to watch the match, so antagonising them with too much of brand messaging can backfire,” Patel shares. 

She further mentions that if a brand has budgets to associate with IPL, they should find budgets for a creative agency who can help craft interesting messaging that does not feel like intrusion.

“Success hinges on two crucial aspects: understanding your target audience and managing your budget wisely. You can't just rely on audio advertisements alone. It's most effective when coupled with other marketing channels, if you have to couple it with measurable mediums, then digital is the way,” advises Subramaniam. 

The use of audio hammering as a marketing strategy during the IPL presents both opportunities and challenges for brands. While hammering can be prove to be an effective way to increase recall, consumers can find it an irritating recurrence due to overexposure. To hit the right note, marketers need to strike a balance.. With the IPL's growing viewership and popularity, brands must tread carefully, balancing engagement with brand visibility and ensuring that their messaging remains relevant and non-intrusive. Ultimately, success lies in understanding the target audience, managing budgets wisely, and integrating audio advertising with other marketing channels, particularly digital, to maximize impact and resonance.